Every year, SSDP’s Board convenes Congress — our annual governance gathering where active members (SSDP Ambassadors) help shape the organization’s direction.

At Congress, members vote to elect new Elected Directors and support or oppose Resolutions, or formal, non-binding strategic recommendations submitted by members to guide the work of SSDP’s Staff and the Board. This year voting takes place virtually March 6–8 — check your email inbox for the ballot! (Don’t get emails from SSDP? Be sure to subscribe!)

This year, you will have two resolutions on your Congress ballot. Read below to learn more about why SSDP Ambassador Jorge Valderrabano proposed them!

By Us, For Us: Professionalizing the Future of SSDP

Author: Jorge Valderrabano, SSDP Ambassador

At the heart of SSDP is a simple truth: we are a global network of peers—including people who use drugs and harm reductionists—working directly for the safety of our own communities. We deliver life-saving services because we understand the risks and the solutions better than any external observer. 

Based on the previous, and as we approach the 2026 congress, I have proposed two resolutions: a community-led monitoring (CLM) mechanism and a gender safety protocol.

What is CLM and why does it matter?

Community-led monitoring (CLM) is an evidence-based methodology where the people receiving and delivering services are the ones who design, implement, and lead the evaluation of those services.

Originally championed by activists in the HIV/AIDS movement (and later standardized by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the International AIDS Society, UNAIDS, and others), the CLM was born from the need to hold systems accountable when they failed to reach marginalized groups.

The importance: it shifts power 

Instead of an outside “expert” judging our work, we define our own indicators of success. It turns our lived experience into “community-owned data”, which is the most persuasive tool we have to influence national and international decision-makers.

Harm reductionists have always used CLM—we just haven’t always called it that. Every time a peer-led group adjusts their outreach based on feedback from the community, they are engaging in CLM. This resolution simply aims to professionalize this procedure to unlock better partnerships and higher levels of funding.

Drug checking services have been using this methodology since the beginning, for example. Harm reductionists collect data on substance purity directly from users to warn the community, understand drug use patterns, and improve the services. It is a peer-to-peer exchange that saves lives and generates research simultaneously.

The HOPE program: a CLM-ready initiative

SSDP’s HOPE (harm reduction and overdose prevention education) program is the ideal space for a formal CLM methodology. HOPE lets us recognize overdoses, provide training, and distribute naloxone kits.

Under a CLM framework, the program becomes a research powerhouse. We wouldn’t just ask if a kit was used; we would implement a “peer-led rubric” where the participants—people who use drugs and students on the front lines—evaluate the structural impact of the training itself. We move from “service delivery” to “community-led evidence generation. The SSDP Connect app can also be helpful to automate data collection in real-time, ensuring that every interaction within the HOPE program contributes to a living, breathing database of community expertise.

This also turns HOPE into a high-level advocacy tool. We can then present university boards and international stakeholders with undeniable data showing that our peer-led care is the gold standard for youth safety.

Active protection: gender safety as a community responsibility

Parallel to our project evaluation, we must protect our community through active measures. The gender safety protocol is about taking an active role in the prevention of gender violence and the promotion of equality at every level.

The fact that SSDP has not faced a specific gender-violence problem or crisis does not mean that risks do not exist or that we should remain passive. Drug policy reform is inextricably linked to gender justice. Adapting this protocol is a proactive commitment to ensuring SSDP remains a safe harbor before any harm can occur. It ensures our internal culture reflects the safety and respect we demand on the world stage.

Integrating these mechanisms isn’t about fixing a broken system; it’s about strengthening a powerful one. These resolutions professionalize our grassroots spirit and make us the most effective partner for global stakeholders.

Below you can find both resolutions. Vote yes to ensure SSDP remains a movement by us and for us, equipped with the best tools to change the world.

RESOLUTION: Institutionalizing Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) for Project Accountability and Impact

Presented at: SSDP Congress 2026

Sponsored by: Jorge Valderrabano

Whereas, Students for Sensible Drug Policies (SSDP) is committed to the principle of “nothing about us without us,” recognizing that the most effective interventions in drug policy and harm reduction are those designed and led by the communities they serve;

Whereas, community-led monitoring (CLM) is a recognized evidence-based mechanism that empowers service users and advocates to identify local barriers to care and justice, ensuring that programs are responsive to the actual needs of the community;

Whereas, the current lack of a standardized, community-driven evaluation framework hinders our ability to document the unique expertise of SSDP ambassadors and the qualitative impact of their advocacy on social justice and human rights;

Whereas, implementing a CLM framework would allow SSDP to collect “community-owned” data, providing a powerful evidence base for national and international decision-makers while strengthening internal accountability;

Let it be resolved that… SSDP will develop and implement a mandatory “community-led project rubric” for all funded or sanctioned initiatives. This rubric shall be designed as an ongoing, participatory process that includes:

1. Community-defined indicators: establishing baseline goals that reflect the priorities and safety of the local community and the active members involved.

2. Ongoing feedback loops: periodic mid-project assessments led by participants to identify gaps in service delivery or advocacy and to allow for immediate strategic adjustments.

3. Impact and empowerment reporting: a final evaluation that measures not only quantitative outputs but also the qualitative shift in community power and policy influence, archived to inform future SSDP strategies.

RESOLUTION: Adoption of a Comprehensive Protocol to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment

Presented at: SSDP Congress 2026

Sponsored by: Jorge Valderrabano

Whereas, the safety and physical and emotional integrity of SSDP Ambassadors and staff are foundational to the success of our advocacy and the sustainability of the drug policy reform movement;

Whereas, the absence of a uniform, transparent, and enforceable protocol for reporting and addressing incidents of harassment and violence can lead to a culture of silence and the exclusion of marginalized voices;

Whereas, we recognize that drug policy reform is inextricably linked to gender justice, and our internal policies must reflect the high standards of human rights we demand from global decision-makers;

Let it be resolved that… the SSDP Staff and the Board of Directors, in consultation with experts in trauma-informed care, develop and adopt an official “SSDP Protocol for Gender Safety and Accountability.” This protocol shall be mandatory for all chapters and sanctioned events, and must include:

1. Clear definitions: Explicit definitions of prohibited conduct, including sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.

2. Safe reporting mechanisms: Multiple, confidential channels for reporting that protect the survivor and prevent retaliation.

3. Survivor-centered response: A framework for accountability that prioritizes the agency of the survivor.

4. Preventative training: Mandatory onboarding for all SSDP leaders on consent and bystander intervention.